The machine came with 2 t-nuts. I put exhaust system studs in 'em and lined them up with holes in the "work piece" and torqued the nuts to about 20ftlbs with a wrench. There was very little chance things would get loose suddenly.
The 'poorly' side of things was that the holes I used were 6" from where I chose to mill. The 3/8" thick piece of scrap flexed away from the cutter. Passes back cut more material as the piece sprung back.
When I was trained on The Drill Press (middle and high school shop classes) proper clamping was REQUIRED. A stalled motor beats bashed hands or spinning work ANY day!
My first real project is building a replacement shaft for the transmission that gets the rear PTO power headed forward to a belly mower.
The vice that was included with the lathe/mill came with 2 more t-nuts. It has been mounted solidly and trued-up. Just waiting for the 1" round stock to show up.
All work will be done within the width of the vice's jaws. Any flexing will be within the compression of the bar and the oil between the cross slide, the carriage and the bed. Lets not forget about the flex in bed casting/mill support as well.
Daham. I used to think of machinery as solid objects with some moveable parts. This thinking of a conglomeration of near perfect pieces slipping, sliding, compressing, springing back, .000000000001" backlash is hurting my head!